How to Save a Soul - ABANDONED

A soft grimace formed on Amalia's face, looking down at her feet for a moment. "Maybe he has a good reason for doing so... I can't speak for him, but I'm sure he's probably trying to protect us." She tried to reassure her friend.

"Probably," Kerica nodded and looked down at her laptop.

~*~

They arrived at the mansion at different times, mainly because the girls had more preparation to do. Dean shifted, looking around with careful eyes. None of them had had a chance to talk to the owner of the place yet, and that bothered him. What also bothered him was also ho many people were there for this party. Cars were all over the lawn and pavement, people roaming the courtyard. He was completely on guard, but a thought occurred to him, "Hey Sammy, at least you don't have an old lady to dance with this time."

Sam was keeping a cautious eye out for anything suspicious as well, hands behind his back as he tottered side to side on the heels of his feet. There were so many people attending, and it made the younger Winchester incredibly uneasy; it showed in his eyes, but he kept the rest of his body composed to the best of his ability. Once he heard his brother's words, a scoff left him as an amused smirk creased his lips. "That's true." He laughed quietly, hands now in his pockets as he waited for the girls.

Kerica's car miraculously found a place to park when they did get there, and she sighed as she climbed out, intentionally not looking towards where the boys were. She was already embarrassed enough at wearing her dark red dress. The other thing was that she didn't have a bra on, to keep the bare back look to it. Of course, thirdly...she didn't like big crowds. Someone somewhere would be looking at her, judging her, thinking about her in ways she didn't want them to. She hurried around to Amalia's side, and helped her out. At least she knew how to walk/run in heels properly, toes first. Amalia would've just fallen on her face, so she was wearing a cute pair of black flats to fit her dark green silky dress. Smiling at the redhead, she twirled a strand of hair around her finger and set it in front of her ear, "You look stunning."

Kerica herself was wearing her long hair up in a stylish formal bun with elegant wavy and slightly curly strands coming from it. It gave it that slightly messy look without being messy. Her eyeshadow was a gold sparkle with a dark brown smokey effect and her lipstick was a shade of red that wasn't too dark or too bright. For jewelry she had a an earring and necklace set that looked like a pink round stone within a gold design to look like a flower. She had gotten the set because it reminded her of cherry blossom flowers. Above the flower studs were simple small gold hoop earrings to replace her usual silver. On her right wrist she had a pink opal bracelet with diamonds between each stone, and her left index finger had one of those fashion class rings...it was silver with a ruby stone in the marque shape, three diamonds on either side and two silver strips protecting the stone. Dean'd actually seen her wear it before during their trip, but not very often...usually only when they dressed up. It had her name on it, but no school.

Dean didn't notice he had a dropped jaw until he realized he needed air. It'd been knocked right out of him by how his girlfriend looked. Her dress was elegant, showing just a little cleavage without being slutty, and wasn't too long she was going to trip on it like some of the dresses around. Her makeup was simple, a shimmering copper mixed with nude tones, enhancing her natural beauty and bringing the green out in her eyes, her lips were a ruby pink...it looked like red lipstick had been put on first and then a pink gloss. Her jewelry was her usual wolf's paw but her earrings were turquoise, matching the stone in the middle. "Wow," he breathed, hearing Sam echo his thoughts.

Amalia smiled brightly at her friend's words, allowing her to add a finishing touch to her hair before giggling gently. "You look stunning, too, you know." She grinned, walking towards the brothers beside her before the redhead's face flushed a bright pink at his shocked expression. Another smile creased her lips as she heard his reaction, leaning on her tiptoes to give a gentle peck on his lips before pulling away. "You look very 'wow' yourself." She giggled, her hand resting on his.

Sam found that he too had air knocked out of him at Kerica's appearance, walking over and kissed her tenderly on the lips before pulling away with a smile. "You look absolutely gorgeous." He whispered, kissing her forehead.

"I don't like suites...it's bad enough I have to wear one for my FBI facade, but this is a /formal/ suit I've only worn once," Dean grumbled before he snaked his arm around her waist protectively, pulling her flush against him in a possessive manner, "Let's go inside," he murmured, his nose in her hair, "Mm, you smell delightful."

Kerica's blush was almost as dark as her dress and she looked around before he kissed her forehead, "Do I? I just...I don't like this. I feel...vulnerable, and out of place. Like I stick out like a sore thumb and everybody's looking at me and..."

Amalia giggled softly as he pulled her against him, blushing even more as he complimented her scent. "Thank you..." She smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder before walking inside. "But I have to admit... You're very sexy in a suit." She whispered into his ear, grinning brightly to see his reaction.

Sam held her face and kissed her softly, silencing her words before pulling away with a small smirk on his lips. "You worry too much. You definitely blend in with the crowd." He chuckled as he tried to reassure her, taking her hand in his and followed after Dean and Amalia. "Though, I have to say..." He paused, releasing her hand to wrap his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his side, rubbing her arm slowly. "I didn't realize there was a tiger hiding under that camouflage." He purred seductively into her ear, feeling her shiver against him.

"Little terrified as to what you would say if I wore a military uniform," Dean joked, "Better yet...what you'd /do/ to me," he rumbled in her ear. She had become quite a tiger in the bedroom once he taught her the basic tricks like a true redhead. He hadn't had a good workout like that in a long time and could definitely sympathize with Sam at the moment. Though...it looked like Sam's fire was returning after a couple day's rest doing what Meara wanted.

Kerica's breath hitched at the way he touched her and his voice, "Thank you," she murmured squeezing his hand and leaning into him as they walked. She wondered if he noticed the bare back yet? If not, he would if or when they they danced.

They found the owner of the mansion and the one running the party in the Conservatory, talking with some other people. When he spotted her, he brightened a bit before he dismissed the others, hurrying over to them. He waved over a bus boy carrying a plate of champagne, "So glad you could make it. I'm Emrick Kenton. Kerica, your father and I went through a lot in the past. Please, let us go somewhere...more private." He motioned to them once they had their drinks, sans Amalia, and they went all the way to his office upstairs.

Amalia felt a roll of shivers run down her spine at the rumble in his tone, her face turning a bright shade of pink. God, he knew how to get her hot and bothered. Now wasn't the time, however, and she squeezed his hand that rested on her waist to try and calm herself. Looking around as they made their way forward, the redhead started to feel small at how large the crowd was. It was overwhelming, but she kept herself composed to the best of her ability.

Once they reached the owner's office, Sam couldn't help but feel impressed at how well kept the room was. It was too fancy for his tastes, but it was a nice change, he supposed. "You have a very nice home." He complimented, giving the man a small yet friendly smile.

"It...actually recently came into my possession," Emrick admitted, "This party is a house warming event." He gave a low sigh, "The spirit was an unwelcome snag."

"My father said you were a friend of his and that's why you contacted him," Kerica frowned.

"So you have no attachment to the ghost, but the ghost has an attachment to the house. Fantastic, that doesn't narrow down our search at all," Dean grumbled.

"Yes, I had a run-in with a vampire nest in Kentucky and your father rescued me, even though it was rather...in-passing because he'd been tracking the next for a while and I happened to be the lead he needed that helped him destroy them," Emrick grumbled, rubbing his neck pointedly, "The ghost I've only caught glimpses of, but it's a female. Young, maybe teenager to young adult. Her clothes looked in the same era as the civil war."

"What did you /do/ to get her pissed off at you? Remodel?" Dean rubbed his face, "Awesome, an old spirit that's been with the place for a while. She was probably stuck in a history loop and when you showed up you disturbed her."

"That's what I've been thinking. I haven't changed the house any, simply restored it to it's former glory," the owner assured, "She hasn't attacked me, but she's been trying to hurt the workers that say, put brand new flooring in, or replaced the wallpaper."

"A ghost that old doesn't do well with change," Kerica bit her lip.

Amalia's eyes darted from Dean to Kerica as they both conversed with the mansion's owner, biting her lip as she clutched at her skirt lightly. She listened intently to what the man had to say, then rubbed her forehead with her fingertips before speaking up. "Did you happen to find any objects that you think the spirit might be attached to? Like a photo, a family heirloom, anything they used to own when they were alive?" She said, making the group turn their heads to face the redhead.

Sam blinked a few times, surprised that she asked the question that he was about to ask himself. He then turned to the owner with a soft breath leaving his lips. "She's right. Is there anything of the sort that might help us out?"

"We found a few things and kept even fewer. We had to throw out a lot because it was old, rotten, or what have you," Emrick told her, "The one thing that stands out is a music box. Any jewelry was given away so there's none of that she could be holding on to."

"A music box sounds perfect," Dean nodded, "We have to find it and burn it."

"I can do that...but for now I have to officially start the party. It's rude if a Host isn't around to mingle. None of the workers are here for their own safety, so let's just enjoy ourselves. When there's an interlude I can grab it," Emrick assured.

Amalia nodded in understanding and bowed her head politely to the man with a smile, walking back to the ball room with Dean and the others. She was feeling uneasy at the thought of the spirit that haunted this place may try to harm the guests, but for now, the only thing she could do was lay low and try to have fun. She was secretly hoping that she wouldn't have to dance, because in all honesty... She didn't know how, and it shamed her to admit it.

Sam was a little tense himself, but soon relaxed as he felt his lover's hand on his, and squeezed it gently. He felt so at ease with Kerica, even when they're on a case like this one. With a soft breath, he could hear the music begin to play, and he turned to the woman beside him with a small smile. "I know we're here on a case, and I feel silly for asking this, but..." He paused, standing in front of her now with a hand held out to her, like a gentleman would. "Will you dance with me?"

"You're not getting out of this so easy," Dean smirked at her and drew her closer, finding a good place to drag her so she'd be away from any walls to hide away, "I didn't just spend two-three nights doing crash course dancing with Meara taking Sam and I to lessons just for you to dip out." Without giving her much time to respond, he watched the other guests dance and slipped into the rhythm of the song, placing her other hand on his shoulder and gripped her waist.

Kerica blushed darkly and smiled with a nod, taking his hand, "Of course, Sam. Whisk me away," she grinned and placed her other hand on his shoulder without prompting. She knew how to dance already, "I was on the dance team, so you don't have to worry about me stomping your toes," she assured with a giggle.

"Wait, what?" Amalia's eyes grew wide as he suddenly pulled her close and took her to the dance floor. "B-But I don't know how to...!" She tried to protest quietly, but it failed as she was suddenly being guided to the rhythm of the music. She tried to focus on relaxing and not stepping on her boyfriend's feet, yet her heart pounded in her ears, and it made hard for her to relax her body. Biting her lip, the redhead glanced down at her feet every now and then to make sure she was following his movements correctly, before meeting his gaze with a small pout. "You're going to pay for this later."

Sam chuckled softly and guided her to the dance floor, a hand wrapped around her waist as the other held hers. "I had spent the last few days with Meara teaching me and Dean how to dance, so knowing that you already know how makes it easier for me." He said with a soft laugh, swaying with the gentle rhythm of the song that was playing.

"Just focus on me and my face," Dean told her, "Try not to think about it and just let me lead." He slowed his movements and made them more deliberate without breaking his stride, "Talk to me. Tell me what you think about what's going on."

"You're doing pretty well, you must've already known the basics," Kerica smiled up at him, "At least I'm wearing heels, so this is more comfortable for you," she lightly played with the ends of his hair before resting her hand where it had been. She easily stepped with him, swaying to and fro and spinning elegantly when there was a cue for it, molding back to his body and they kept moving with the crowd.

With a small nod, Amalia looked up at her boyfriend as she allowed him to take the lead, her body eventually relaxing and swaying to the music. When she was asked for her opinion, she thought for a moment before beginning to speak. "My instinct is telling me that she may just be defending her home. I honestly don't think that she's vengeful at all. But I could be wrong about this..."

"I attended a party like this once, with some woman who my brother and I could not stand. I uh..." Sam paused for a moment, clearing his throat before looking to the side briefly. "I ended up dancing with this... elderly woman who apparently had a thing for me."

"As noble as some ghosts might be, they will turn vengeful at some point," Dean shook his head and kissed her softly, "You're always trying to look at the bright side of things." It was and it wasn't a bad thing. He admired her for it while at the same time he felt like ass. For now, he tried not to think about it and moved his hand from her hip to around her waist, "You're getting into it now," he smiled, "You're not as stiff."

Kerica giggled a bit and leaned up to kiss the underside of his jaw, "Well, I'm not an old lady, but I do have a thing for you," she smirked a bit, "That's not so bad, now is it?"

Amalia returned his kiss without hesitation before he pulled away, resting her head on his shoulder as she continued to sway to the music with him. "I know. But if I think about that... It makes my heart ache..." She said, squeezing his hand gently. "It's nice... Being with you like this." She whispered with a smile, closing her eyes as she became completely relaxed, "Hey, Dean...? I never got a chance to thank you."

A small grin formed against Sam's lips as his lover's words, kissing her forehead and pulling her against his chest, holding her close. "It's not bad at all... It's wonderful." He whispered, rubbing her back slowly which made him realize that her skin was exposed, and that she wasn't wearing a bra. He felt his face flush bright pink before he smirked devilishly, leaning towards her ear. "Are you /trying/ to seduce me?" He purred, pulling her even closer.

Dean tilted his head and looked down at her, "Thank me for what?" What could he have possibly done to warrant this?

Kerica's breathing became heavy and she slipped both arms behind his neck. They hadn't stopped dancing, but it had significantly slowed down, "At first it wasn't intentional, I just fell in love with this dress...but now that you mention it...I could very well make it that way," she was glad her face was hidden by her hair as she nipped and sucked at his earlobe, her pelvis pressing into his. She was tempted to hook her leg over his hip but refrained because they were in public, "I'm glad you like the bare back..." she hitched her breath when he made another slow stroke, shuddering, "Not sure...if you knew this, but my back is /really/ sensitive," she informed him, chest heaving a bit more than it should.

"For letting me join you, Sam and Kerica... For being there for me when I need you... For saving my life... For /everything/." She whispered, snuggling closer to him with a small smile creasing her lips. "You have no idea on how happy I am right now..."

Sam felt a roll of shivers run down his spine at her actions, pulling her even closer against his frame before a very low and throaty growl rumbled deep in his throat at the feeling of her pelvis against his own. Grinning mischievously, he caressed her back again, this time with both hands moving in an up and down motion.

Dean nearly froze up, but he just tightened his grip instead, his chin resting on the top of her head, "You're welcome, angel," he whispered, "I'll do my best to always be there for you, okay?" he heard rustling above, like glass clinking, and looked up, narrowing his eyes at the chandelier.

Kerica moaned softly into his ear in vocal response to the growl and his hands roaming, "Oh, Sam..." Well, it seemed they'd had plenty of time to heal, and if it wasn't for the fact they were on the case, she'd drag him off to a dark room upstairs. She forced herself to pull away, and her face, neck, and just a little on the top of her breasts was all flushed. Looking up at him, she was about to kiss him when she saw the chandelier move and she dragged him to the side, "Look out!" she called as it gave way, heading right for Amalia and Dean.

Dean snatched Amalia up and dove over to the side, rolling and covering her body with his as the glass shattered around them.

Amalia let out a surprised cry as she clung to Dean once he lifted her off her feet, the sound of shattering glass ringing in her ears as she shut her eyes tightly. The startled gasps and screams soon filled the room and the redhead opened her eyes to look up at her boyfriend. "Are you okay?!" She asked with a look of worry, holding his face in her hands.

Sam grew wide eyed as the chandelier was destroyed as it fell from the ceiling, rushing over to his brother while holding Kerica's hand. "Dean! Amalia! You all right?!" He said, helping the couple get back on their feet. The younger Winchester looked up at the ceiling and back down at the broken chandelier, narrowing his eyes.

"Mmph...I'm alright...a bit disoriented but fine," 'not to mention I can't die but that's beside the point', Dean grunted and got himself up, "Yeah, Sam, we're fine. Amalia, stay with Kerica, she'll take care of you. Sam, we need to go find Emrick."

Amalia nodded once in understanding as she watched the brothers walk off to find the owner of the mansion. Swallowing hard, the redhead turned to the brunette with a worried look on her face, then looked back at the direction the boys went to.

Once they had reached the office, Sam noticed that the door was cracked open. The younger Winchester immediately walked in with Dean and saw the older man pinned to the wall by a powerful yet invisible force, and the music box was on the floor. Sam looked up to see the female spirit appear before him, and was sent flying across the room.